Trade my Jeep Cherokee for a Dodge Ram 2500 ????

I have the chance to trade my 2001 Jeep Cherokee for a Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup. I am looking for opinions and a few basic topics as in the poll. Here are some details of both

Jeep - 2001 4.0L automatic 158,500 miles 4x4 (can't tow much and small space inside)

Dodge - 1999 5.9L 5 speed STD 191,000 miles 4x4 (open bed able to tow way more)
I know nothing about Dodge trucks
Is the 5.9L gas Engine good?
Is 191,000 alot of miles for the Dodge 5.9L?

Oh I should also add what ever I have is also my daily driver.... My work commute is about 4.5 miles across town..

Poll questions.... Or general questions
1) Trade the Jeep for the Dodge
2) Keep the Jeep and get a small trailer
3) Trade the Jeep for a Chevy Truck instead
4) Trade the Jeep for a Ford Truck instead
5) Trade the Jeep for a Jeep J10 Instead

Thanks
Tom

Gas hog, unless your towing very heavy loads I would go for something smaller. Heck even an old ford with a inline 6 could haul quite a bit and can be had very cheap for a second vehicle.

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Originally Posted by andrew1990

Gas hog, unless your towing very heavy loads I would go for something smaller. Heck even an old ford with a inline 6 could haul quite a bit and can be had very cheap for a second vehicle.

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My Jeep only gets an average of around 17 mpg... Is the Dodge that much worse???

If it had a Cummins Diesel.. it would be a no-brainer if you are looking to haul a trailer. The Tranny's on Dodges are known to fail pretty regularly.. With it being a Gas Engine.. I'd keep looking personally.

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Originally Posted by sledge42

If it had a Cummins Diesel.. it would be a no-brainer if you are looking to haul a trailer. The Tranny's on Dodges are known to fail pretty regularly.. With it being a Gas Engine.. I'd keep looking personally.

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I have a 2003 with Cummins diesel. 17-18 mpg around town or highway. But $100 to change the oil if i dont do it myself, $1k for tires, already had the tranny done once, etc. Expensive to keep up, plus fuel is around $4 all the time. Would sell mine in a heartbeat if I thought I could get something smaller that was cheaper to maintain. But pickups really hold their value. Keep the Jeep, get a trailer and look for something else in 6 mos - year.

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Originally Posted by sledge42

If it had a Cummins Diesel.. it would be a no-brainer if you are looking to haul a trailer. The Tranny's on Dodges are known to fail pretty regularly.. With it being a Gas Engine.. I'd keep looking personally.

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Oh I thought the 5speed manual was OK and the auto was bad??
My father-inlaw has a 09 with the new Cummins and it is sweet!!!!!
I want that but... can't right now

i voted for the jeep trailer combo, a truck would tow more but if your not going to be using it to haul all the time the additional fuel costs offset it

if i had to get a truck id go for the diesel, they pull more and the engine life is alot longer than gas

Oh I should add that I mainly do E-scrap only

im a dodge man, BUT i have to say a 5.9 (360) with a 4x4 IF you baby it without a load 11 to 12 mpg and my experience is with a durango and a 1500, a 2500 would be worse, i dont do enough ewaste to know any better but guessing a 3/4 ton is overdooing it. if you gotta have more room try to find a smaller trailer

If you're only doing e-waste, I'd recommend a mini-van, if you don't mind driving something like that. You can buy them really reasonably once used, they're really economical, and tons of room if you pull out the very back seat. Downsides are not a lot of weight capacity, and also that you're driving a mini-van.

The Ram is definetely overkill, I've got a 1500 its a pig on gas. Upside there are LOTS of parts, they made 400,000 of them my 2000 model year in North America. So cheap parts in abundance.
If you get the truck you will notice that you will be haulin' stuff you don't usually haul. "If you build it they will come..."
What I mean is it opens up opportunities.
Also same model 1994-2001!!
And arguably the best looking Dodge Ram model...

I used to have pretty much the same jeep you have. Used to tow a car trailer with it, I would keep it and get an enclosed 6 x 10 trailer for it.

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Originally Posted by zito

If you're only doing e-waste, I'd recommend a mini-van, if you don't mind driving something like that. You can buy them really reasonably once used, they're really economical, and tons of room if you pull out the very back seat. Downsides are not a lot of weight capacity, and also that you're driving a mini-van.

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I don't know if see myself in a mini van however an up side my kids would NEVER ask to borrow the car.. LOL..

I even though of a 1500 Suburban or Yucon (Yucon not really much bigger) then get the 3rd seat option... More room for people when needed.
I have not look at mileage but my 3/4 ton 2 wheel drive 1988 with the 454 I had getting 12-13MPG.

I really want to keep the mileage around 17 average, thats all I get with the Jeep now.

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Originally Posted by freonjoe

I used to have pretty much the same jeep you have. Used to tow a car trailer with it, I would keep it and get an enclosed 6 x 10 trailer for it.

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I was looking at those and would need to get used around Denver the new ones are $$$$$$!!!

The jeep you have is valuable to the right people.

XJ is a popular platform, and if in good shape can command good pricing.

I picked up a 6 x 10 Interstate trailer off of CL for 1200.00. For me, it's the perfect size for e-scrap.

http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMGP0002.jpg

freon i like the fully loaded trailer of washers and dryers in the background

[QUOTE=freonjoe;138362]I picked up a 6 x 10 Interstate trailer off of CL for 1200.00. For me, it's the perfect size for e-scrap.QUOTE]
WOW I would say you got a great deal!!!!

Thanks, twmart. It took about a month to find it. I built a bench in the front of it with bins under the bench for doing teardowns. It keeps all my e-scrap in one place and out of site from prying eyes. Also makes a great mobile workshop.

I just got an email and he claims to get 14 to 16 with it.
Doesn't that seem high??

my opinion is that the monster 250 4x4 is over kill for Ewaste. do you need the 4x4 or just willing to pay 5 or 6 miles a gallon for it/ I have a 12 foot flat bed for pallets and a 94 ford diesel 1 ton van for heavy stuff that needs to tow or be kept dry. but the best combo I ever had was a 300 6 250 ford and an 18ft trailer. I will get another one as soon as I can. just my .o2

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Originally Posted by twmart

I just got an email and he claims to get 14 to 16 with it.
Doesn't that seem high??

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You going to take his word? The one looking to profit?

Or the word of the outside third party with no interest?

V8 trucks burn gas, lots of gas ACCEPT IT

I have a chevy c3500 box truck v8 454 i get 9mpg out of it but i can hall a lot with it I also have a ford e250 1 ton van i use for smaller stuff with a 300 6 cylinder that gets 15mpg i like ford and chevy trucks better so i would not trade for a dodge that dodge should get 14mpg i have owned one in the past

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Originally Posted by olddude

my opinion is that the monster 250 4x4 is over kill for Ewaste. do you need the 4x4 or just willing to pay 5 or 6 miles a gallon for it/ I have a 12 foot flat bed for pallets and a 94 ford diesel 1 ton van for heavy stuff that needs to tow or be kept dry. but the best combo I ever had was a 300 6 250 ford and an 18ft trailer. I will get another one as soon as I can. just my .o2

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Living just north of Denver and being my daily driver I do need the 4x4.

If your wanting to disverify why not get the 2500 ? How many times how you turned down scrap due to lack of a pickup ? Could get a trailer either way but the light duty coil springs on your jeep Wont deal with lots of weight.

i have a 97 ram 2500 5.9 360 automatic xcab 4X4 i get 8 mpg city 11 hwy but it almost never has the car trailer unhooked from it i have pulled 29300 across the scale with a 9800lb tare weight it can do it without breaking a sweat

that sounds reasonable, our truck and fully loaded trailer total weight of 12000 pounds 2 tons being the load of shred gets in the 10-12mpg range, around 15 when pulling empty trailer and 17 empty without trailer

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Originally Posted by taterjuice

If your wanting to disverify why not get the 2500 ? How many times how you turned down scrap due to lack of a pickup ? Could get a trailer either way but the light duty coil springs on your jeep Wont deal with lots of weight.

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So far I have not turned anything down... Some times it is 2 or 3 trips..... Luckly I have access to a truck to borrow if needed (that was how I picked up 77 computers last month 1870lbs)

Oh and the Cherokee has leaf springs, it's the Grand Cherokee that has the coils.... But yes the leaf springs are light duty.

Stop hating on the mini-van people! It works! I lack kids, an I love the thing, never thought I'd see the day I said that. It hauls what I need it to haul, and it'll work its ass off. lol. An yes, tons of room. Find an older one, yank out both seats and continue on your winning way. :)

I love my mini-van. Its practical, gets decent gas for its type, my stuff is kept out of the rain, wind, sand, etc. I don't have to pay diesel prices. An people get pissed when you go flying by them in one..lol.

Hate away on the van, but at the end of the day..I get done what I need to. And seriously, your a scrapper not some hip young pop star who has to drive the coolest ride to impress all his friends. Get a cheap mini-van with decent consumer reviews an goto town. Let the haters hate, as you laugh all the way to the bank. ( with apologies to Mick I think it is whos sig I just butchered..lol)

Sirscrapalot - Drives his min-van proudly, Hate on haters! :p